Replaced my steering gear box and everything seemed to be going o.k.. Removed the pitman arm without removing from the arm. Problem is when I try to put the pitman back on the new steering gearbox it does not line up correctly. It is close but the angle is a bit off. Do I have to remove the pitman arm from the lower arm also ? If so, is that a ball joint ? it appears to be and I have no experience with that. Any help appreciated.

 

dont know if you need to remove it but that is considered a tie rod

 

Is your truck lifted. If the angle is off you will be putting stress on the linkage when/if you do get it installed. For lifted trucks they make a "drop pitman arm".
If the truck is not lifted you may just have too much load on the linkage try lifting one wheel so the linkage (tire) can move a bit.

 

...actually, it's a drag link.

When replacing my steering box last weekend I had a devil of a time keeping the steering wheel centered and the wheels straight ahead.
Didn't pop the Pitman Arm off though.
Lots of unlocking the steering and moving it one notch, then climbing back under.

How many turns lock to lock is your box?

 

I finally got it. Just kept moving the steering a little at a time.. geesh.. aggravating .. anyway thanks for the responses.

 

The splines are going to have to be dead on for them to engage. I would go to harbor freight or somewhere else cheap and buy a pickle fork, and take it loose from the linkage. This is the long piece of metal with a tapered fork on the end that you drive inbetween the joint to bust it loose. It may damage the rubber boot though, that's the only drawback to the pickle fork method.